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Mentorship allows our people to unlock their full potential by learning from peers and colleagues at different levels across the organization. In fact, a recent MENTOR study¹ conducted with EY support found that American adults give their mentors more than half (56%) of the credit for the success in their lives.
Mentorship extends to the broader EY mission of building a better working world, as we bring our culture of mentorship to EY Ripples volunteering activities like College MAP (Mentoring for Access and Persistence) and collaborations with organizations like Junior Achievement² and MENTOR³.
Below, we share the invaluable lessons individuals across the EY organization have gleaned as both mentees and mentors and how these lessons ripple through their professional and personal lives.
1. Mentorship brings a sense of purpose to work
In a demanding work environment, it can be easy to get bogged down by everyday demands. But with dedicated time to coach rising talent or volunteer with EY Ripples programs, EY employees gain a sense of perspective and higher purpose.
Jessica Stokes, who’s been at Ernst & Young LLP (EY US) for over 20 years, finds purpose in providing support and guidance to help underserved high school students reach and thrive in college. “The College MAP program has given me an incredible purpose,” she says. “My mentees have become family and continue to provide fulfillment, perspective and inspiration.” Jessica was one of the founding members of Boston’s College MAP program and has helped more than 100 mentees over the years. (And she’s just one of over 1,800 EY employees who are involved across the US.)
Valery Perez also found her purpose through mentorship. In fact, mentorship is what brought her to EY US in the first place. In 2016, while she was involved with Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE)⁴, EY US named her EY Youth Scholar. The recognition came with a scholarship and the opportunity to attend a special regional event, where she met several EY senior leaders.
Years later, once Valery had graduated from college and had a few professional years under her belt, she reconnected with people from the event and landed a job at EY US. “I’m a firm believer that I wouldn’t be where I am in my career if it weren’t for my mentors,” she says. “Their support really sticks with me. I feel like it’s my responsibility to help the next person. It’s my purpose in life.”
2. Mentorship is a two-way street
When most people think of mentorship in a corporate environment, they envision a conventional relationship in which a more senior person counsels rising junior talent. But at EY US, it’s clear that the most productive mentorships are built on reciprocity, where both sides gain something from investing in the relationship.
Kevin Cole, EY Chicago Office Managing Partner, believes mentorship is a learning opportunity for everyone from senior partners to individuals just beginning their careers. He likes that the EY mentoring culture allows senior leaders to hear the ideas of junior team members, while younger workers can test their thinking within a supportive learning environment. Even after 23 years at EY US and multiple leadership roles, Kevin’s search for mentors continues. And he makes sure his search doesn’t stop at the top. Kevin credits some of his young mentees, several of whom he works with as Chair of the EY Chicago People Advisory Forum, with helping him become a smarter and more empathetic leader. “They mentor me, the collective group, as they keep teaching me the things I don’t see the right way,” he says.